1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates to an electrostatic attraction device that attracts and transports recording media, such as paper, and an image forming apparatus, such as an inkjet recording apparatus, using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have been known electrostatic attraction devices that attract and transport recording media, e.g., paper, by applying electric fields to the surfaces of endless charging belts while rotating the belts. There have also been known image forming apparatuses, e.g., inkjet recording apparatuses, using such electrostatic attraction deices. These devices and apparatuses have disadvantages related to cleaning, and various approaches have been proposed to overcome the disadvantages.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-168500
[Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 09-222801
[Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 10-161436
[Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 04-128859
[Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 09-222805
Various efforts have been made to make many of the component parts of theses image forming apparatuses replaceable in order to extend the lives of the apparatuses significantly, for example, by ten times. In connection with this, there has appeared a need for making attraction belts of the electrostatic attraction devices replaceable.
In the meantime, the extended lives of the apparatuses cause a problem in that cleaning mylars (the term “cleaning mylar” as used herein represents a cleaning unit made of Mylar (trademark)) and cleaning brushes for cleaning the charging belt of the electrostatic attraction devices lose the cleaning capacity due to accumulated paper powder and the like. This problem has resulted in a need for enabling replacement of the cleaning mylars and cleaning brushes.
In the related art, since removal of only the charging belt is not considered in design, the whole electrostatic attraction device is removed from the apparatus main body of the image forming apparatus to perform replacement operations as described above. In many image forming apparatuses, such as inkjet recording apparatuses using electrostatic attraction devices, carriage rods provided for supporting carriages impede easy removal of the electrostatic attraction devices. The removal would be easier if the electrostatic attraction devices could be divided into separate units. The electrostatic attraction devices, however, have not been so designed.
To make the removal of the charging belts easier, the electrostatic attraction devices are preferably improved such that separation claws are removable from main bodies of the electrostatic attraction devices. In addition to making the separation claws removable, it is preferable that the electrostatic attraction devices be improved so as to meet the need for removing and replacing consumable parts such as cleaning mylars and cleaning brushes (the term “consumable part” as used herein represents a component part that requires periodic cleaning as well as a consumable part).